Oregon splits the answer in two: paddlecraft buy a Waterway Access Permit, out-of-state motorboats and sailboats buy an Aquatic Invasive Species Prevention Permit, and the one you need depends on what you are towing.
What it costs
| Who | Fee | What that buys, and who says so |
|---|---|---|
| Waterway Access Permit — 7 days | $6 | Seven consecutive days — enough for a borrowed kayak over a weekend. $7.50 through the Marine Board’s Boat Oregon Store once the $1.50 portal fee is on it, or $8 through ODFW. Oregon State Marine Board — permit FAQs |
| Waterway Access Permit — one calendar year | $20 | Valid for the current calendar year and expires December 31. $21.50 through the Boat Oregon Store, $22 through ODFW. Oregon State Marine Board — permit FAQs |
| Waterway Access Permit — two calendar years | $35 | Expires December 31 of the year after it is bought. $36.50 through the Boat Oregon Store, $37 through ODFW. Oregon State Marine Board — permit FAQs |
| AIS Prevention Permit — out-of-state motorboat or sailboat | $30 base | $31.50 through the Marine Board’s Boat Oregon Store, or $32 through ODFW, once each seller’s service fee is on it. Oregon State Marine Board — permit FAQs |
Which permit is yours
The Marine Board writes the AIS Prevention Permit for out-of-state boats: an out-of-state motorboat, a sailboat with an auxiliary motor, or a sailboat over 12 feet. Non-motorized boats are on the other permit entirely — the Waterway Access Permit — and that one applies whatever state you live in.
Oregon State Marine Board — aquatic invasive species program
In 2026, length no longer gets a paddler out of it
The Waterway Access Permit used to start at 10 feet. In 2026 every operator of a non-motorized boat needs one — stand-up paddleboards, kayaks, rafts, canoes and their inflatable versions — and Oregon sailboats under 12 feet are on this permit too.
Who is exempt, and it is a short list
Youths 13 and under do not need a Waterway Access Permit — the permit starts at 14. The Marine Board calls the rest of the list “very limited and specific”: surfboards, sailboards and kiteboards; government-owned boats on official business; a ship’s lifeboat and a seaplane; a member of a federally recognized Oregon tribe engaged in tribal fishing or a ceremony; an outfitter guide on a wild and scenic river that already charges its own fee; and non-motorized boats under 10 feet on the whitewater reaches the Marine Board maps as exempt. No permit is required on ODFW free fishing days either. If you are not on that list, you need one.
Stopping at an inspection station is not optional
Every boater towing a motorized or non-motorized boat has to stop when a roadside inspection station is open. The Marine Board puts a routine stop at 10 to 15 minutes, and 20 minutes to an hour if the boat needs decontamination — and $115 on driving past an open one.
Oregon State Marine Board — aquatic invasive species program
What it costs to be caught without the permit
Failing to show a permit is a Class D violation carrying a $115 fine.
Oregon boat permits, asked and answered
Do I need a permit to kayak in Oregon?
Yes. In 2026 every operator of a non-motorized boat needs a Waterway Access Permit, whatever the boat’s length — kayaks, canoes, rafts, paddleboards and their inflatable versions. Youths 13 and under are exempt, along with a short and specific list the Marine Board publishes: surfboards and sailboards, government boats, tribal fishing, and under-10-foot boats on the whitewater reaches it maps as exempt.
How much is the Oregon aquatic invasive species permit?
For an out-of-state motorboat the AIS Prevention Permit is $30 before fees — $31.50 through the Marine Board’s Boat Oregon Store or $32 through ODFW. For a non-motorized boat the Waterway Access Permit is $6 for a week, $20 for a calendar year, or $35 for two, before the same $1.50 portal fee at the Boat Oregon Store or $2 at ODFW.
What is the difference between the Waterway Access Permit and the AIS Prevention Permit?
The Waterway Access Permit covers non-motorized boats — paddlecraft and Oregon sailboats under 12 feet. The AIS Prevention Permit is the one the Marine Board writes for out-of-state motorboats, sailboats with an auxiliary motor and sailboats over 12 feet.
What is the fine for boating in Oregon without an AIS permit?
$115. Failing to show the permit is a Class D violation, and failing to stop at an open roadside inspection station carries the same $115 fine.
LakeDates reads lake gauges. Everything on these pages is the state agency’s own published rule, quoted with a link beside it — fees and rules change, and the agency page is the authority, not this one. For Oregon, that is Oregon State Marine Board — permit FAQs.
Checking the water while you are at it? Oregon lake levels — today's reading on every Oregon lake here. And the rules above are one state's: what an AIS sticker is, and which states run one.